Georgetown High School football coach Bradley Adams isn’t going anyway.

Adams was a finalist for the head coaching job at Hilton Head High School, but withdrew his name this week after realizing what teaching and coaching at Georgetown meant to him.

“I’m happy and humbled to have the opportunity to be here in Georgetown and thankful to be the head football coach,” Adams said Thursday. “The community, the administration and the team have really rallied around us as coaches. We continue to believe we can win a championship.”

Adams said he was contacted by somebody at Hilton Head High and asked to apply for the position, and only did so as a “professional courtesy.”

He was chosen from more than 140 candidates as one of the nine finalists, and went through several rounds of interviews. It was reported this week that the decision had come down to Adams or B.J. Payne from Lexington, Ohio.

As Hilton Head neared a decision, Adams decided it “wasn’t the right situation for me.”

Staying in Georgetown, near his family and with the players and coaches he’s been leading for two years, was the right choice.

“It showed me that I really love these kids and I feel like we have a very strong bond between the kids and coaches that we have,” Adams said. “That’s what this sport is all about, having the team concept, and that’s what we have with these kids.

Adams went 5-5 in 2010, his first season at Georgetown, and 7-4 in 2011. The Bulldogs were one win away from hosting a first round playoff game.

“I felt it was important to do right by people,” Adams said. “We’re not finished here.”

By Chris Sokoloski

csokoloski@gtowntimes.com